


You can’t choose your destiny (cause if you could you wouldn’t choose me)

by honeybearbee



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 06:19:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11572146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeybearbee/pseuds/honeybearbee
Summary: Merlin is the servant to the Duke of Camelot. Then he gets locked in a dungeon and talks to a dragon. All in all, not the strangest thing that’s happened to him since coming to Avalon.





	You can’t choose your destiny (cause if you could you wouldn’t choose me)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to prime_meridian for the beta! She did an amazing job and totally made my story better. Big thanks to hardticket (go go Team Captain) for being awesome and being super patient with me! I wanted this to be a long fic, but my muses laughed at me for months then I ran out of time. Hopefully I can make this longer someday.
> 
> "It ain't no sin if you crack a few laws now and then, just so long as you don't break any." ~ Mae West (67)

**Late January 1885. Camelot, Avalon, Wales.**  
When Merlin first came to the county of Avalon three years ago to help Gaius, the town doctor, he didn’t know that he would end up becoming the servant to the Arthur Pendragon, Duke of Camelot. He was fairly certain his mother and father would not be pleased, even if he was bringing in more money for the family. After all, the Duke and his late father were notorious for hating magic. There was even a law that banned saying the word magic, and Merlin was pretty much all magic.

Merlin had to be especially careful since the Duke’s sister, Morgana, was also secretly adept with magic, but extremely unstable. Merlin was certain that she had killed the old Duke, Uther. Everyone in Avalon knew that she chased off Lancelot, Arthur’s best friend, by making up all kinds of accusations about his behavior. Merlin had tried to talk Arthur out of exiling Lancelot, to no avail.

“How can you do this?” Merlin had yelled. “You know he would never do whatever ridiculous thing Morgana accused him of! Gwen will be devastated if you send him away.”

“I know!” Arthur had shouted back. “I don’t have a choice.”

“You always have a choice!”

“Not on this matter. Morgana’s lies could get Lancelot put in prison and neither of us has any proof to refute her falsehoods.”

“We know Lancelot would never practice magic, especially since it’s against the law and you are the ruling Duke. He’d never hurt you like that.” Even as Merlin said the words, they felt bitter. Lancelot might not break the laws, but Merlin certainly would to protect Arthur.

“Our word and belief in his innocence won’t be enough. He has to leave.” Arthur sighed as he sat down. “It’s for his own safety.”

Merlin sighed as well, but stopped arguing with Arthur. “Where will you send him?”

“Just away. Until I can properly deal with Morgana. Most of my Father’s supporters are still unsure of me. Morgana is more like Father than I am.”

Merlin had bit his lip and said nothing.

Now though, he wished he had said something because he was in the dungeon. He was pretty sure this wouldn’t please his parents either.

Being born a noble automatically made Arthur an officer and Arthur’s own merit made him a Captain at such a young age. So, Arthur had been called to London on a military emergency, and Merlin had been left behind. With Arthur gone, Morgana was in charge and she let the power go to her head. Gwen had mentioned Lancelot and was locked up for two days, Gaius wouldn’t give Morgana her medicine and was locked up for a day, Merlin had accidentally dropped a plate of food on Morgana’s best dress and was now locked up for three days, and other similar things had happened to everyone. Anyone did anything Morgana didn’t like and they were just tossed in the dungeon.

“This has to be against some law somewhere,” he muttered. He banged his head lightly against the stone wall behind him.

“I didn’t even know dungeons existed anymore!” Merlin said aloud. He’d taken to talking to himself after five hours alone, and now at almost two days Merlin thought that maybe he’d gone crazy. Sometimes he swore someone was talking back to him.

“Things will get better when Arthur comes back. I hope.”

 _They might not,_ the voice replied. _Morgana is using dark magic. She wants to be the Duchess._

“Why? It’s not like Arthur is anywhere near the top of the line of succession, so being the Duchess won’t get her anywhere.”

_She wants the power of Camelot._

“I…don’t even know what that means.”

_Camelot is the seat of all the magical powers in England. But they are not Morgana’s to control._

“Are they Arthur’s? No, can’t be. He doesn’t even believe in magic.”

_They are yours Emrys._

“What? What did you call me?” Merlin stood up in shock. “What is going on here?”

The voice sighed. _Find the trap door in your cell and come down here. I shall explain everything._

Merlin thought about it before shrugging. “It can’t be any worse than where I am now.” He dropped to his knees and felt for a trap door. He found one under the cot in the cell. He pushed the cot aside, opened the door and looked down. “A cave. Wonderful.” He jumped down, mumbled a light spell and made his way towards a large cavern.

“Hello young warlock,” the voice said. Merlin peered around the corner and nearly fell over.

“You’re a dragon!” he shouted.

“Yes.”

“This is the 19th century! There are no dragons!”

“I am, perhaps, the last of my kind.”

Merlin stared at the large creature in front of him. It was a gold-bronze color, very large, and very much chained up. “How did you get down here?”

“Uther Pendragon.”

“How did he get you down here?”

The dragon just looked at him.

“Okay, no answer. Fine. Now what is all this about me, power, and a weird name?”

The dragon sighed once more before launching into an explanation Merlin only got half of. After some time, Merlin waved for the dragon to stop. “I have to go back to my cell. They’ll be checking on me. I’ll be back later tonight.”

The dragon nodded in agreement and watched Merlin leave. Once the warlock was gone, the dragon smirked and flew higher into the cave.

****

 _One Day Later_  
Merlin jolted up on his cot as the cell door opened. He rubbed at his eyes and saw Arthur emerge in front of him, dressed in his Captain’s uniform.

“Hello,” he mumbled.

“Why are you down here?” Arthur asked with a scowl.

“Morgana didn’t like chicken down her dress.”

“Why were you serving her?”

“It’s my job.”

“It’s your job to serve me! Gwen is supposed to serve Morgana.”

Merlin shrugged as he stood up and stretched. “Morgana might have gone mad with power.”

Arthur sighed. “I don’t want to believe you, but after everything I’ve seen and heard, I don’t have a choice. Come on.”

They left the cell behind them and Merlin asked, “Did you even go to London?”

“Yes. For a day.”

“You bastard! I was in here for three days! I went mad!”

“Madder,” Arthur shot back.

“Stuff it you prat,” Merlin groused.

Arthur laughed as they made their way out of the dungeon. “To be honest, I didn’t think this part of the grounds still existed. Father said he had them removed years ago.”

Merlin made a noise in agreement. Arthur gave him a funny look, but Merlin only smiled.

**** 

Later that night, in the house he shared with Gaius, Merlin was lying in bed and flipping through a book of magic his mentor had given him. He was looking for any entries on dragons, coins, or Emrys. He honestly had no idea what the dragon was talking about. Merlin had wanted to tell Arthur about the dragon, but he didn’t think it was the best time.

“What Arthur doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Merlin muttered as he turned the pages. His newly acquired habit of talking to himself was clearly still intact. “After all, the laws do say even talking about magic or magical things is a punishable offense and I did just get out of a bloody dungeon. I don’t want to go back. Although, talking to a dragon, reading a book on magic, and being magic. All breaking the laws of Camelot.” Merlin sighed. “I’ve saved Arthur with my magic before though, so breaking the laws can’t be that bad.”

 _Indeed, young warlock. However, someday you will have to tell the future king. Someday soon,_ the dragon said.

Merlin fell off his bed in surprise. “Stay out of my head, damn it.” He glowered at the ceiling before getting back in bed. “Wait. Future king?”

The dragon laughed. _Good night Emrys._

Merlin glared again when there was no answer to his question. “Bloody dragon.” Well, whatever the dragon meant, Merlin supposed he’d find out soon enough.


End file.
